Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain has expressed hope that the Bangladesh Navy will complete the cleaning of the Agrabad box culvert within the next two months.
He made the remark while visiting the culvert cleaning operation in Chawkbazar’s Agrabad area and inspecting water flow in the Nasir Canal inside the Agrabad Fire Service office on Thursday (July 31) afternoon as part of the ongoing efforts to mitigate waterlogging in the city.
During the visit, local residents raised concerns about various construction companies dumping soil and materials into canals and drains in areas like Tiger Pass and Dewanhat, which they say has worsened waterlogging. The mayor inspected several construction sites, confirmed the complaints, and warned the companies responsible. He announced that legal action would be taken through magistrates if any environmental violations continue during construction work.
“Cleaning canals alone won’t stop waterlogging,” said Mayor Shahadat. “Residents must also act responsibly. Disposing waste indiscriminately and building structures haphazardly are destroying our drainage systems. Until we love and respect our city, we cannot make it livable.”
Referring to the recent waterlogging caused by high tides and rainfall, the mayor pointed out that although only 102mm of rain fell this time, compared to 192mm in May, the flooding was worse due to tidal influences. He said a coordinated emergency meeting was called to address the issue, involving all relevant service-oriented agencies. Following this, he visited areas like Chandgaon, Bahaddarhat, and Chawkbazar and witnessed residents throwing garbage into canals, despite ongoing awareness campaigns. As a response, he announced plans to strengthen door-to-door waste collection systems.
Mayor Shahadat said that waterlogging has been reduced by 50–60 percent in many areas of Chattogram, though work remains in some locations. Once all sluice gates are constructed, the waterlogging issue will see major improvement.
He also mentioned that out of the 36 canals earmarked for development by the Chattogram Development Authority in 2016, work on 21 canals has been completed while the rest remain pending. The city corporation is also expediting excavation work on the Baripara canal. The remaining 15 canals will be addressed according to plan.
“Overall, we have completed 50 percent of the total work. The other 50 percent is still in progress,” he added.
On public health, Mayor Shahadat voiced concern over diseases like dengue and chikungunya, noting that stagnant water and scattered plastic waste create breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. “If Chattogram survives, Bangladesh survives,” he said, underlining the city’s importance.
Finally, the mayor stressed the need for a “city government” system, saying, “The lack of urban governance is a major reason behind the ongoing problems. Around the world, city mayors have clear authority. But here, a lack of coordination between different agencies is a major barrier. Without giving the mayor proper authority, no development plan can be effectively implemented.”
